This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/880,852 filed on Jan. 16, 2007, entitled Liriodendron Plant named ‘Little Volunteer’.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Liriodendron commonly known as Tulip Tree or Tulip Poplar, which is grown as an ornamental tree for use in street plantings and in residential landscapes. The new cultivar is known botanically as Lirodendron tulipfera and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘Little Volunteer’.
‘Little Volunteer’ was discovered and selected in Spring 2001 by the inventor at the inventor's nursery in Belvidere, Tenn. as a single naturally occurring plant with novel dwarf habit which the inventor found growing within the inventor's seed-grown crop of Liriodendron. The inventor is unable to identify either the male or the female parent.
‘Little Volunteer’ exhibits dwarf habit compared to the typical species. Mature trees of ‘Little Volunteer’ are approximately ⅓ the size of a typical Liriodendron tulipfera specimen which reaches a mature size of 30 feet in height and 20 feet in width. The closest known cultivar known to the inventor is the cultivar Liriodendron ‘Ardis’ (unpatented). The leaf shape of ‘Little Volunteer’ is more typical of the species and maintains a central leader better than ‘Ardis’.
‘Little Volunteer’ was first asexually propagated by the inventor in Belvidere, Tenn. in Fall 2002. Asexual propagation was accomplished by grafting ‘Little Volunteer’ onto seedling understock. Since that time, under careful observation, the distinguishing characteristics of ‘Little Volunteer’ have been determined stable and uniform, and are reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.